Comparable-worth Study Dies In Switch

TALLAHASSEE — A Senate committee Tuesday gutted a bill that would create a study commission to determine whether state jobs traditionally held by women pay less than those held by men.

The bill (SB 180) was opposed strongly by the state's biggest business lobbies, Associated Industries and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. They argued that results of the study could be used as the basis of a lawsuit that could cost taxpayers and private businesses billions of dollars.

The theory of comparable worth was to be the basis of the study. It holds that women and men should be paid the same if they do work requiring comparable skills. Proponents of the theory argue that secretaries, for example, are unfairly paid less than maintenance workers.

The Senate Personnel, Retirement and Collective Bargaining Committee adopted an amendment by Sen. Ed Dunn, D-Ormond Beach, that would change the focus of the study. Instead of using the theory of comparable worth, the study would be on whether state workers get equal pay for equal work, which already is required by law.

The study would address comparable worth only by considering the advantages and disadvantages of the theory.

The sponsor, Sen. Carrie Meek, D-Miami, was not happy with the amendment to her bill, but she said it is better than nothing.

''What you're doing is gutting it, but you're not letting all the viscera hang out,'' Meek said. ''It's a feel good measure. What we're saying is, let's do half a loaf.''

Meek chastised other committee members for bowing to the arguments of Associated Industries president Jon Shebel and Florida Chamber lobbyist Scott Carruthers, who said comparable worth would not be economically feasible and would be inconsistent with a free market economy.

''If we had to vote for slavery today all you all would vote for it because it's economically sound,'' Meek said.

The committee passed the bill, including Dunn's amendment, by 4 to 2. Sens. Pat Neal, D-Bradenton, and Toni Jennings, R-Orlando, voted against it.

One member, Sen. Ken Jenne, D-Hollywood, said

he voted for Dunn's amendment because it was the only way to get the bill out of the committee. Jenne, who is the Senate president-designate, noted that the bill still has to be reviewed by the Rules and Appropriations committees and that the original study proposal could be revived.

A similar bill in the House (HB 63), by Rep. Helen Gordon Davis, D-Tampa, is stalled in committee because proponents don't have the votes to pass it. Shebel held a press conference trashing the bill just an hour before the House committee was to vote on it last week.

Shebel argues that to implement comparable worth in state and local governments would cost taxpayers $5 billion. He bases his estimate on a court ruling in Washington state and is worried that any study in Florida could be used by state employee unions as the basis of a lawsuit.

''Any study that's done by any outside source will say that something's wrong and there's going to be a price tag,'' Shebel said.

Also opposing the bill at Tuesday's meeting was the conservative Women for Responsible Legislation, which has fought against the Equal Rights Amendment and other feminist causes.

The most vocal proponents are the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Florida Teaching Profession-National Education Association.

Meek said the theory of comparable worth eventually would find its way into state law, though she acknowledged its time could be a few years away.

''It has been a long time coming, but it's not going away,'' she said.